Elected trustees will remain at all Ontario school boards, but have less responsibility and be fewer in number — with the Toronto public board being cut almost in half — under sweeping changes announced Monday by Education Minister Paul Calandra.
English school boards will also soon have a chief executive officer in charge — someone with business experience — to oversee budgeting and negotiations, as well as a chief education officer, who must hold teacher and supervisory office certification, to oversee student achievement.
These are among the long-awaited governance reforms being introduced by Calandra in his Putting Student Achievement First Act.
He had previously said he might eliminate elected trustees, but instead has decided to keep them in limited roles.
Boards will be allowed to have a maximum of 12 trustees, which only affects the Toronto public board which has the most, at 22.
All trustees’ discretionary spending will be cut, as will as their annual honorarium.
The chief executive officer takes charge of the budget process, as well as contract negotiations with teacher and support staff unions.
Calandra also announced some changes for high schools, including requiring written exams during a scheduled exam period, as opposed to culminating assignments, as well as making attendance count for 10 to 15 per cent of final marks for teens, so that grade expectations and breakdowns are clearer.
(Absences for sicknesses, appointments or religious holidays won’t be penalized.)
“Ontario’s education system must remain focused on its core responsibility — student success,” Calandra said in a written statement before introducing his bill in the legislature.
“Ontario’s teachers and education workers are dedicated professionals who work tirelessly every day to support students, often under challenging circumstances. They deserve stable, accountable leadership that supports their work and puts learning first.”
Teachers will also only be able to use ministry-approved resources to ensure consistency across the province.
Calandra said the governance reforms will help boards with their budget challenges; he has taken over eight boards and sent in provincial supervisors, citing financial mismanagement, though boards have argued they are underfunded, especially in areas like special education.
He would also have the final say over any budget matters that trustees cannot agree on, as well as if a chief executive officer could be fired.
The cost of hiring the new chief executive officer role was not immediately available.
The legislation also names the Council of Ontario Directors of Education as the provincial bargaining agent for English public and Catholic boards, instead of the current model with trustee organizations at the table, with the rationale that the directors oversee the front lines and have a better idea of what is needed.
(The Catholic trustee organization, however, retains its role regarding denominational issues, and French trustee associations will continue their current roles.)
Calandra and Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn last week announced they were trimming teacher education from the current four semesters over two years to a full year over three back-to-back semesters.
The government is also going to provide elementary teachers with a $750 spending card annually to purchase classroom supplies.
This is a developing story.
